An exhaust system is comprised of several types of components such as converters, particulate filters, mufflers, resonators, etc. These components are positioned downstream of a vehicle engine and upstream of an exhaust gas outlet to atmosphere via a tailpipe. A series of exhaust pipes or exhaust tubes are used to connect these components to each other such that exhaust gases are directed from the engine, through the various components, and then exit the system via the tailpipe.
Typically, the exhaust system includes a filter component that collects particulates prior to exiting from a tailpipe. A filter's particulate trap is “cleaned,” or “regenerated,” by way of a particulate trap burn-out sequence. Essentially, in such a burn-out sequence, the filter is heated to a temperature where the particulates collected within the filter combust. While effective at cleaning the filter, this sequence can result in significantly high exhaust gas temperatures exiting the tailpipe, which are undesirable.
One proposed design has cut tabs in the tailpipe and has bent these tabs into the exhaust gas flow path. An overlap pipe covering surrounds the tailpipe where the tabs have been cut. The tabs generate an undesirable air rush along with a higher back pressure, and the overlap pipe covering creates packaging issues.
Another proposed design connects two pipes of different diameters together with a rod. This design is aesthetically unappealing and has limited positioning capability. The venturi in this configuration is open to the atmosphere and therefore can only be located in the tailpipe, i.e. this configuration cannot be used in a forward location within the exhaust system.